


Five Mistakes

by magicalartist



Category: The Shannara Chronicles (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 22:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9038171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicalartist/pseuds/magicalartist
Summary: Eretria makes five mistakes after Cephalo gives her her freedom. the first is looking back at the helpless Princess she is about to leave behind...





	

Glancing back was her first mistake. Tossing one last glance at the Elven Princess bound to the tree, the helpless way she twisted away from her fathers hands, raw fear in her eyes, and she knew… her mind had changed. That was her first mistake. Giving into the weakness to look back, to look at the Princess one more time.

Her second mistake… well that came later. Eretria dug her heels into the horses withers and the horse leapt forward, as eager to leave the rover camp behind as she was. she went to the place where she stashed her supply of sleeping powder and gathered al of it, sighing at herself, “ you are breaking your own damn rules, Eretria, leave her behind!”

But she couldn’t. not when she knew what her father would do to the Elven girl. Not when she had been subjected to the same by his men, even if her father had never crossed that line with her himself, he certainly hadn’t stopped others from doing it, telling her it would toughen her up, make her stronger. That she deserved it if she couldn’t fend for herself. That’s where her rules came from. Look out for yourself first, because no one else will. When you have the chance to escape, take it, and don’t look back, no matter what. And never, ever get on his bad side. She was about to break all three, for a stranger. For a girl who despised her.

But she would not, could not allow the princess to be subjected to the same torments she had. The Elven girl still had her innocence. She still had light in her eyes. And Eretria would be damned if her father would be the one to stamp it out. So she made her second mistake. Rescuing the Princess.

It was dark when Eretria snuck back into camp. She easily made it past the bustle of camp, to the massive pot boiling over the fire. She put enough powder in to knock out the whole camp, putting some in the massive keg nearby as well, to be safe. That would knock out everyone. Those who didn’t eat, never passed up the alcohol. Then she would only have to contend with her father. Eretria waited in the shadows, her heart clenching painfully as she watched her father drag the princess to his tent, ignoring her cries of protest, her pleas, as his hands roamed her body. Eretria flinched with her, painful memories ising to the surface of other men who touched, who took, painfully what wasn’t theirs to take. She knew damned well the fear, the helplessness, the terror and the shame the princess was feeling. She glanced around camp, satisfied that men were dropping swiftly, too swiftly to notice hat something was wrong with their food. And her father was too caught up with his prize to notice that camp had gone quiet.

Eretria started running when she heard the Princess scream, “ Help!”

Eretria runs faster, her heart pounding in her ears at the terror in Amberle’s voice, the grief. Her blood boils with rage at her father, a bastard indeed, she will not let this man harm her, “ please Help me!”

Cephalo laughs, “ go on Princess, its nothing but music to me!” Eretria lashes out with her foot, slamming her heel into the back of his skull, taking pleasure in the way he grunts in pain as he falls off of the Princess. She watches him fall, ensuring he is out cold for a few seconds at least, and grans the dagger he had tossed aside, trying to get her emotions back under control, trying so hard, to not appear so weak in front of this girl.

“ thank you!” Amberle murmurs, her voice full of wonder, and tears over her rescue.

Eretria refuses to let this descend into a more emotional moment, she knows, the Princess can't handle it, and she sure as hell can't. “twenty times what cephalo paid, that’s what you said.” As she grabs Amberle’s hands to free her of the rope.

Amberle’s voice is hoarse, “ of course, you have my word”

Eretria frees her of the bindings easily, and grabs a real blade before returning to cephalon to bind his hands now. This is madness, and she knows, deep down, she will pay for this, her weakness, breaking the rules that have kept her alive for this long, but the gratitude on Amberle’s face, that alone, makes it worth it, for now. Cephalo’s starts to come to, and she grabs him roughly, binding him before he realizes what’s going on, ignoring his protest, “ you thieving little bitch!”

“You were the one who taught me the value of a good double cross,” she sneers before addressing Amberle, “horses are outside, we have to go”

We are bringing him with us?!” Amberle looks at her like she’s grown a third head and Eretria fights to not roll her eyes, “unless you’d like to do the honors”

Amberle balks and Eretria continues, “ if he’s with us, he’s not hunting us, consider him insurance”

“ you think my men are just going to let you walk out of here?” Cephalo crows, thinking, somehow, he can still get out of this

“ you’re right. She smirks, enjoying the look of surprise, and then approval from Amberle when both Cephalo and Amberle realize that the camp is full of snoring men, “ it’s a good thing I took care of them.” she turns to Amberle, enjoys the slight smile on the elf’s face as she brags, “ nothing a little knockout powder can’t handle”

They track down Wil easily and Eretria easily takes down the wolves, and saunters into the light, “I leave you alone for a coupe of hours, and look what happens, you completely fall apart”

He rolls his eyes, but looks glad to see her. she smirks at him and saunters back to Amberle.

They camp in a field, and Eretria avoids sleeping for as long as possible, but while the Princess trusts her now, no one else does, and no one will allow her to take a turn on watch. so she eventually drifts off and sleeps fitfully. Cephalo is bound to a tree far enough away that he can’t hear her, crying out softly in her sleep. Amberle does.

It’s the Elf’s gentle touch that wakes her, and she simply raises an eyebrow at Eretria when she pulls a dagger on her while waking, holding it to the Elf’s neck. The princess, strangely, doesn’t look afraid of her anymore. She mutters an apology and puts the dagger down, intending to go back to ignore the Elf until she gives up and returns to her own bedroll to sleep.

Amberle’s soft voice is still there though, right beside her, “ want to talk about it?”

“ not with you.” her tone is harsh, and she flinches at her own tone, and hates herself for her weakness, for even caring if she hurts the Princess's feelings.

“ why’d you do it? why did you rescue me? you didn’t have to. You were free. You could have gone anywhere.” The Princess’s tone isn’t harsh, or accusing. It’s curious, soft, grateful.

“ you are over thinking it Princess, you offered a better deal. I’m a rover, remember?”

A soft hand lands on her shoulder, tugs her to face the princess, “ that’s not it though, is it?”

Eretria sees Amberle’s eyes glittering with understanding, in the pale moonlight. She hates it. “ and now you are having nightmares”

“ you don’t know what you are talking about, _Princess_ ” she spits the last word, trying to fuel disgust into her voice, but is too exhausted for her attempt to come across as remotely convincing. Amberle is still studying with soft eyes.

She turns back over, brushing Amberle’s touch away, ignoring the way her body seems to want to lean into the comfort the girl offered her instead. she hears Amberle sigh behind her and settle down beside her, " well, I'm not going anywhere, so let me know, if you change your mind"

she snorts and tugs herself further away. Amberle doesn't leave. true to her word, she stays seated right beside her, quietly studying her as she tries desperately to fall back asleep. eventually Eretria turns over, startled to find that Amberle is still there, seated comfortably, looking relaxed. for some reason, being able to see the girl relaxes her, and she finally drifts back off. the nightmares return almost immediately

She sleeps fitfully, waking several more times in the night, crying out, “stop!, please!” waking up, curling into herself and shuddering. She can feel Amberle's warm presence behind her, close, not quite touching her, somehow knowing she needs space, but needs her close as well.  she feels a warm fur being placed over her and smoothed over, hears soft words, “ you are safe, no one is going to harm you, not anymore, I swear it. you saved me. and… I am so grateful for that. I won’t let anyone harm you ever again either.”

She doesn’t know what to do with that, with kind words, with a promise of safety. She just curls tighter around herself and burrows beneath the fur, noting that it smells faintly like the Princess. She drifts off again, this time, the men in her nightmares leave her be. 

when she awakes, she hears Wil yelling, “ Amberle, what are you doing? Stop!”

She sits upright, her eyes blearily following Wil’s voice to find Amberle’s fist crunching into Cephalo’s face, again, and again. she stares, stupefied for a long moment, before launching to her feet, unsteady.

She hurries over, grabs the Princess, yanks her away, “ what the hell? You were the one protecting him earlier!”

“ that’s before I heard you crying out in your sleep” Amberle muttered darkly, before blushing at the admission.

Eretria warms at the care this elf shows her, and gently cradles Amberle’s bloodied fist in her hands, “ look at the mess you have made of yourself, Princess” she tugs her away from Cephalo, towards a low boulder, “here, sit. Let me get something to clean that with”

She gets a cup of water, tears off some clean rags and returns to the Princess, catching her glaring at Cephalo, “ why did you attack him?” she asks, curious

“ you… didn’t sleep well last night. You kept crying out in your sleep, begging someone to stop. You… sounded like me…” Amberle’s voice trails off and Eretria makes her third mistake. She meets Amberle’s gaze and sees the tears in her eyes.

“ it wasn’t him.” She admits, her voice low, gravely, and she hates that she is even having this conversation.

Amberle nods, “ I know, he said as much, but he is your _father_ , he was supposed to _protect_ you from men like that, not _give you to them_ ” her voice trembles with rage and

Eretria just stares at her, “ why do you care?” she asks, genuinely confused as to why this elven princess gives a damn about the sob story that is her life.

“ why’d you stop him?” Amberle fires back, fire in her eyes.

Eretria pours the water over Amberles bloodied knuckles, winces in sympathy when the Princess hisses in pain, “ you didn’t deserve that. You... shouldn’t have to go through that” Eretria whispers.

Amberle tilts her head, a soft, earnest expression on her face, “ and neither should you, you didn’t deserve that either Eretria. _No one_ does”

“ you wished demons on me not long ago, how is this any different?” she snaps, defensive

Amberle flinches, “ you are right. I did. I was wrong. I was cruel and I misjudged you. I’m sorry” her voice is soft, careful. Eretria nods, wipes away the blood on Amberle’s knuckles and carefully bandages them. she steps away, needing space from the Princess and the flurry of emotions she seems determined to draw out of her. she needs to remember her rules. She needs to get back to firm footing.

they pack the camp in silence, wil carefully staying between Amberle and Cephalo. he man seems smart enough to keep his mouth shut at least, for now. 

“Eretria, ride with me. please” the Princess asks, her expression still soft. Eretria simply nods in agreement. Mounting that horse, wrapping her arms around Amberle’s waist… that is her fourth mistake. As soon as she wraps her arms around Amberle, the Princess settles back into her, and Eretria knows, as her body fills with warmth, her heart and stomach flutter together and her skin tingles everywhere she and Amberle touch, she couldn’t let go if she wanted to. Her rules be damned. There’s only one now, protect this elven girl, at all costs.

Her final mistake, was the worst one of all. by the time Amberle uttered the words a few weeks later, “ who would have thought, the Princess and the Rover, bound by a tragic fate” she had fallen for the Elven Princess. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her. including admit, “I do care.” Knowing damned well that what she meant by those three words was far, far different than what Amberle meant.


End file.
